The present invention relates to an engagement device particularly usable for toothed bands of sports shoes, such as for example ski boots, ice skates or roller skates.
Currently, these kinds of shoes are usually constituted by a shell with which at least one quarter is associated.
In order to secure the shell or the quarter it is known to use levers which are pivoted to a baseplate, that must be associated for example with a flap of the shell, and interact for example with the end of a toothed band which is associated, at its other end, with the other flap of the shell by virtue of mechanical retention means, such as for example a block provided with a pawl that can be actuated by means of a pushbutton and with which the set of teeth of the band engages.
This solution for engaging the band with the shell or quarter has some drawbacks: in fact, on one hand the block must be riveted to the shell or quarter, and on the other hand said block protrudes from said shell or quarter.
Thus, in case of accidental impacts said block cannot be replaced by the user, as replacement usually requires the aid of specialized personnel.
Last but not least, the block has a certain number of components, such as the pawl, the baseplate, one or more springs, pivots and rivets, which require assembly operations to obtain the finished part.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,862 discloses a lever connectable to a baseplate which can be associated with the shell or with the quarter by means of a link; said lever has, between its wings, a ratchet-like element that interacts with a toothed band insertable between said ratchet-like element and the lever.
This solution is constructively complicated and in any case, as regards the engagement with the shell or quarter, it has considerable protrusions that can lead to unwanted accidental impacts.